I’m Garrett Mayeaux, a ZONE3 USA Pro Team member and a professional triathlete focused on middle distance racing.
Before taking an interest in triathlons, I grew up swimming on a club team and I still work on improving my 'catch' with swimming drills today.
Besides benefiting from drills myself, I have seen them improve other triathletes and swimmers' strokes alike during my time coaching triathletes for 8 years, teaching open water swim clinics, and coaching a masters swim team at Texas Ford Aquatics for the past 2 years. In this blog I’m looking forward to sharing how valuable swimming drills can be!
Why you should incorporate swim drills into your triathlon training
As triathletes, we know that swimming can be one of the most challenging disciplines to master.
Unlike running or cycling, where technique is important but often intuitive, swimming requires a deep connection between your body and the water.
This is where swim drills come into play. Whether you're a beginner looking to gain comfort in the water or an experienced athlete aiming to refine your stroke, incorporating drills into your training is essential for improving your swimming mechanics and efficiency.
Gaining a Better Feel for the Water
One of the primary benefits of swim drills is that they help you develop a better "feel" for the water.
This might sound abstract, but it's a critical aspect of becoming a more efficient swimmer. When you have a good feel for the water, you're able to sense the resistance and flow around your body, allowing you to make subtle adjustments that improve your propulsion and reduce drag.
The more you practice specific swim drills, the more this awareness will become second nature, leading to smoother and more efficient strokes.
The Role of Drills in Improving Mechanics
Swim drills are designed to target specific aspects of your stroke—whether it's your catch, pull, body position, or kick.
By isolating these components, drills allow you to focus on and correct weaknesses in your technique. As you repeatedly perform these drills, you'll find that your mechanics improve, enabling you to move through the water with greater efficiency.
This not only helps you swim faster but also conserves energy, which is crucial for the demanding swim-bike-run sequence of a triathlon.
Swim Drills For Beginners: Building Comfort and Confidence
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